Death Note: A New Case
by Sora Ryuuzaki
Summary: In which Light and L are reincarnated, but with competition: their new best friend, Soryu. But Soryu's tired of them ignoring their feelings, so she decides to DO something about it. Eventual RaitoxL. And it's not a Mary Sue! :D T for safety, yo.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, but if I did, L would DEFINITELY have won. : Neither do I own Raito's alias Rain; this was taken from Nilahxapiel.

* * *

As long as I could remember, I knew L and Raito had loved each other. They're just too chicken to admit it, even after being best friends with me since we were six. We're twenty four, and all world-renowned detectives now. But they're my best friends, so they might just not want to put me in an awkward situation where I'm a girl with a pair of homosexual individuals. Especially individuals as, well, individual as Raito and L.

L Lawliet is a top-ranking, skinny detective; an insomniac. He is like a replica of the great detective L who worked in the infamous Kira Serial Murder case over twenty years ago, where Kira, an individual murderer, killed criminals with heart attacks. Unfortunately, that L died before he could say with extreme certainty who Kira was. His hair is similar to a bird's nest, or maybe even a crow. It's dark and messy. His pupils are so diluted from lack of sleep and lack of light that it's almost impossible to discern his iris from his pupil. Every day, L wears the same thing: a white, cotton, long-sleeve shirt and jeans. His alias as a detective is L. After all, the best name and alias is a name that sounds like a pseudonym.

Yagami Raito is, in short, the exact opposite of L. Raito is a perfectionist; always keeping everything as tidy as humanely possible. Many high school girls would refer to him as "that hot dude." His auburn hair is never out of place, and is like a halo, draping angelic cloths over his light brown eyes. Raito is very fit, especially from playing tennis against L. He always wears a nice suit and tie, dry cleaned to perfection (kind of sickening, if you ask me). I bet you five thousand dollars that most of those fawning high school girls don't know that he's Rain, the world's greatest detective, second only to L. I also bet you another five thousand that they don't know he has an incredibly short fuse… if you know where to light the fire.

As for me, Sora Ryuuzaki, I'm sort of in between. I'm not a cake-loving, insomniac like L, nor am I a healthy perfectionist like Raito. To sum me up, think an average high school teenager in America. To that, add the IQ of Raito and/or L. Then, add the integrity and persistence of a hunting dog. At twenty four, I have dark brown hair that doesn't create a halo like Rain's, nor does it look like a bird, or anything of that relation, like L's. My hair flows down in long and straight (as well as subtle) waves. My eyes are a dark brown, like most people of Asian descent. My alias as a detective is Soryu, the best after Rain and L. But I definitely could beat them if I tried. I just don't want to because I'd automatically be overthrown by those two. They're extremely bad sports. I'm also a musician named "Sora Ryuuzaki."

Ever since Raito and I moved to Wammy's School for geniuses (with top scores) and met L, the number one aside from us, at the age of six, we had become good friends. Immediately I could tell Rain's disgust in the little kid so unlike him, for L was incredibly plain compared to Raito. But eventually Raito began to accept the strange six-year-old little by little, and eventually, when we were sixteen, they suddenly changed into the state that they were. It happened all together, abruptly, so much that it shocked me. He told me later, around his seventeenth birthday how he felt about L.

"Soryu," he had said on a winter morning. L was, for once, sleeping in his room, which Rain had forced him to do. "I think… I love L. Not just as a friend, but…"

I immediately understood what he meant. "So you're admitting you're a homo?" I said half-jokingly. This was a fuse I talked about earlier.

"Hell no!" He stood, his overcoat preventing any snow to get his suit wet. "It's just…" He turned red despite the cold.

I put my arm around his shoulder, laughing. "Don't worry, dude! It's going to turn out all right!" I couldn't stop my laughter and had to spit the words out with force.

He glared at me blatantly and said matter-of-factly, "That's very reassuring, Soryu."

"I know, isn't it?" I had chirped.

That was eight years ago. I'm not absolutely sure if he still feels that way, but it's completely obvious to me. If he'd just tell L, then Rain and L could be a couple. A gay couple, mind you, unless Rain gets a sex change. Which would be impossible, considering that would be admitting defeat and letting L top him…. (AN: -cough cough- Fangirl talk. I'm proud of myself for learning it.) Actually, let's stray away from this subject and head onto the now.

It was a full moon as I typed away on my computer, my coworkers Rain and L typing away as well. We were cracking open a case that involved murder with a paper clip. Of course, between the three of us, it would take us no more than two days to solve the case. Between Rain and L, only three. So yes, each of us shaves off a day. I can shave off two if I use my full intellect, which I won't.

I'm really tired of how Rain and L ignore their feelings for the other. After nineteen years, you'd think they'd finally think to tell. Rain's a bit harder to decipher since he schools his features so well, but L is like an open book to me. That's probably because I'm strange as well. That's what people tell me, anyway.

I need to do something. Otherwise, these two idiot bimbos are going to be like this for the rest of their miserable lives. But what? I could easily outwit them, given I had the chance….

That's it! I needed to create a situation where I would be "separate" from them, and then create a crime that only they could work on since I was "away," and as a result, bond. But how? Well, I could use work as an excuse… Yes, I could create another alias completely different from Sora Ryuuzaki, Sarah Ho, or any of my other aliases in different countries. Like Kagami Kyoko, from Tokyo, who requests assistance with the NPA on a different case, since it isn't public that Soryu is working on a case with Rain and L. She's working on it for fun. Perfect. Then, to create a crime interesting enough to catch the two's attention. But then again, the only crime that catches their attention is…..

Serial murders. Go figure.

But this is something I want for the both of them. This is my only wish, after L took over the previous L, a man named Near. I want them to be together. Then again, I always thought I'd be alive to see L top Raito (snicker)… But I guess I won't, because after they catch me, which I will allow, after they get together, because I'll have committed many murders and L would have to kill me. It's his vision of "justice," after all.

Now for details. The method of killing… and who to kill… Well, to spite them, I'll make it a copy of the Kira case, but modified to make it easier to track me. I'll use arrows… fine silver, hand-crafted by myself and bought under several unrelated aliases. I'll use a silver bow, in honor of the goddess of hunt, Artemis (after all, I'm placing my life on a great hunt, so who else to pay tribute to?). I'll kill unreformed criminals, those who have been let off after time in jail, but who are still continuing their sinful ways. It will be different from Kira in that Kira killed all criminals, reformed or not. But to initiate the plan, this will have to occur several days after I "leave," or else the two will track it to me before they have a chance to get together, which would completely defeat the purpose of all this.

I began to type out the request that "Kyoko" was asking me. Kyoko is a real person, after all. I had met her back in high school. She was in debt to me because I had helped her study for her test. It requested help with a serial rapist. It occurred to me that there were a lot of "serial" branded predators on the loose. The request would reach my inbox in a day. Five days after "leaving", I would buy the silver for my arrows and bow.

I froze for a minute. Why am I doing this? I could just wait and let Rain and L do this by themselves. I had always disliked L a little bit. I never understood why, and I don't completely understand why I had started planning this. Now I know.

I loved Raito.

That explained why I had always disliked L: because he was the object of Raito's affections. That explains why I always did things for Raito.

Man, this stinks. I'm helping my rival get together with my best friend and love. But it's for Raito's happiness, which I can deal with.

I clicked "send" after finishing the request. Now, it's too late to turn back.

With that established… let's get this party started.

* * *

Haha. This is the new story I wrote about in my profile. : It will be LxLight later on, trust me. No couplings with the OC, though I really do enjoy writing from her view... Well, if you like, comment, if you don't like, comment and tell me how to make it better. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – Step one of Soryu's Great Plan

The request came the next day, as was planned. If it had came yesterday, while I was acting strange, it would have seemed suspicious and I'd have been caught before I could carry out my plan. And that wouldn't have been cool.

"Hey, L, Rain," I called from my position on the couch. "I got a request."

"Not strange, Soryu," Rain called. "Everyone thinks you're idle. Who's it from?"

"That one chief from the NPA, Kyoko. Remember her? We helped her on the mass suicide case back a few years ago."

Rain paused, thinking, but L interrupted. "So you'll be leaving? How long do think the case will take you?"

"I don't know," I said. I pretended to think. It would take me a week to carry out my preparations, so… "About a week, maybe more." Lies, of course. This case was nonexistent. But even if it was a real serial rapist, if I tried I would be able to finish it within days.

"I see. We'll see you then."

Rain looked as if he wanted to say something to me, but then shook his head and smiled, his beautiful brown eyes glinting in the scant light that was in the room. "See you in a week," he said cheerfully.

Damn. Even though it's too late to turn back, Rain's making me feel guilty already. Curse the minute I thought of this stupid plan.

Then again, I could just come out clean right now before I do anything….

Damn it, Soryu, get your head straight! I will not ditch this plan until it is finished. Because this is for Raito and L, my two best friends and the only people I truly trust, I cannot leave this plan.

Which is why I'll stick with it to the very end.

The two detectives took me to the airport where it was bustling as usual. L seemed to shrink, being taken away from his safety areas and placed in a crowd. Raito was as brilliant as ever. _Con brio_ is the musical term for Raito. "With brilliance." I smiled and hugged the two as my flight number was called for boarding.

"I'll see you guys in a week!" I cried cheerfully.

The first step of my plan involves me going to Mexico, where they have the largest supply of silver, fake or not. By buying silver products in small quantities from different people, I can avoid drawing suspicion to myself by buying whole cartloads of silver products. But in order to reach Mexico, I have to travel to Japan, where my "case" is supposed to be. I need to then take a trip to Mexico under an unrelated alias, "Hitsuki Katana." This way, the murders cannot be connected to me from America, where L and Raito are staying.

What if Rain and L go to Japan in search of Soryu? There's a slim to none chance of that happening, but even still there's a possibility. In order to avoid this, I need to activate my plan within three days, because that's when the two will be finished with their current case.

The plane ride was long and lonely. Usually, when I go somewhere, it's with Rain and L. I wasn't used to going somewhere without them; it was quite depressing experiencing it for the first time. I missed the hushed bickering of Raito and L as they argued about something. Every time it overheard, it was something about Kira and L. I guess they were arguing over who's "justice" was more acceptable, for Kira and L both believed they were justice.

I flipped open my sky blue laptop. I had made it myself, from choosing the parts to the color, to the installation. The watch that Raito always wore… I rigged it one day while he was in the shower. I installed a mini camera in there that sent videos from the base of the two hands. I opened the software that picked up the completely private signal it sent out. The signal couldn't be picked up unless you knew the exact destination of where it was, and, because of L's paranoia, only Ryuuzaki and myself (and of course, Rain) knew where to look for the signal. But only I knew of it.

The video that was currently playing was of the ceiling. I could hear Rain's keys typing away at the keyboard, and the clinks of Ryuuzaki's cake eating. I didn't zoom around to other places; it made too much noise and Rain would notice in no time. I sighed. Nothing was happening. The silence was deafening. Well, the silence in Rain's location, not the silence in the plane, for there was none. I silently pleaded someone to break the silence.

God answered my prayers, for Rain spoke. I couldn't see him talk, though, for the view changed to the side of the couch. "Ryuuzaki, did you see the poem that Soryu wrote yesterday?"

I could imagine that black bird's nest look up in surprise. "What poem?" he asked.

The view shuffled immensely as Raito stood, walked over to his desk, and picked up a piece of paper. He walked over to L's couch, where he handed the paper to the other detective.

"She said that it was like a desire of hers, but I'm not sure what it means."

I remember the poem. It is my will, for the time after my eventual capture, or after I turn myself in. I wrote it after the request was sent.

"There is but a day where I will not commit sin,

For afterwards there will surely be chaos.

There is but a day where I will not fear death,

For afterwards I will surely die.

By the moonlight I will purge,

Cleansing others of their sins.

Now and forever that of which I pray

Is that my beloved are to be happy

With those they truly love."

Ryuuzaki read it, his voice muttering and rushing through the intended pauses. Again, a mental note to punch him was issued.

I couldn't tell what happened next, since my view was blocked, but as far as I'm concerned, there was an indignant, "What?" from Raito. It's probably because Ryuuzaki was staring at him.

"I believe our first grade friend is more intellectual than we believe her to be," he said. The view of the watch was suddenly upturned to Ryuuzaki's face. "Hello, Ms. Soryu," he said pleasantly. I could imagine Raito's look of surprise.

I picked up the microphone and used the tiny speakers on the watch. "Hello, L, Rain. How are you two?"

Raito had gained his composure and replied, graciousness in his voice. "Just fine, Soryu, how's your case going?"

L interrupted. "If she's as intelligent as I have just calculated, she has at least two main suspects."

I smiled. With a straight voice, I replied, "Yes, several, in fact. And please, do not disconnect this camera; I worked hard to find the right time to slip in during Rain's shower time to be able to install it."

The two nodded. Rain added, "As long as you don't come on while we're changing, that's fine with me."

I gave my goodbye to the two and shut the window, sighing. There just went one of my ways to spy on the two.

No matter, I have many more backup plans for that.

* * *

Oh my gosh. I love this story -squeals- Is it okay to be a fangirl of your own story? ... I dunno. I like Soryu, though. She's awesome : And the poem? Yes, I wrote it, who else could write something so obvious? Of course, L and Light have no idea what it's talking about, but they'll definitely link it once Artemis begins to strike. So yeah. The poem thing actually came to me during school... in algebra, which is definitely not natural because algebra has almost nothing to do with my story, let alone a POEM for my story... -cough cough- Just another reason why I'm mental.

Review please :D And I'm probably never going to update this fast ever again, so REVEL IN THE GLORY xD


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three – The Plan Begins Motion

After I got off the plane to Japan, I had ordered a hotel for a week's stay. I turned in an actual rapist and asked the NPA to release the information within a week, to be sure that Rain and L wouldn't suspect that I was absent. Then, I left Japan for Mexico for about three days, where I bought large amounts of silver products in small quantities, enough for about one hundred fine arrows and a strong bow. I returned to Japan to craft my arrows.

I did all this in four days while keeping in touch with Rain and L via the watch/camera.

They'd also finished the case three days later, as I had predicted.

I don't think they suspected anything, for I feigned working by typing and writing occasionally during our short conversations.

For the next two days, I bought a beautiful silver quiver for my arrows, with the phases of the moon neatly engraved in the sides. Along with that, I bought a shimmering silver cloth which I had sewn (with meticulous care, for I'm a horrible embroiderer) into a huntresses' outfit. The night I came back to America would be the day of my first strike.

The plane ride back to America (which was a day earlier than what I'd told them) was relatively interesting, for I had begun to use one of my other cameras. This one was stuck to the light in the center of the room the two usually worked in. Being miniscule, this was an excellent choice because it would be impossible to detect in the dark due to its flat structure and lack of lights. I scanned the room with it, and saw the two kissing. Trust me, it's very interesting to spy on a pair of gay guys for the first time.

It shocked me when L stripped off Raito's shirt. I had always imagined Raito being on bottom, but it's much more startling to actually see it happening. His slim hands steadily traveled over Rain's bare skin, and Rain reacted to the touch.

I decided it was time I stopped watching. This was private, and I could access the video anytime I wished.

I was pleased to see that the two were getting it together, at least. If they were kissing after a week of my absence (we usually work together, so I'm never gone for more than a day), then if I was absent most nights…. –wolf whistles- Baby. Neither knew I was coming, so I doubted they'd stop. That left me free to my nighttime expeditions.

The plane hit the ground and the attendants let us leave. I took a taxi to my house, where I dropped my stuff off and paid the man graciously. There, I changed into my attire for the night and snuck off, a criminal mastermind in the making.

Despite my appearance, I'm as fit as a ninja. Actually, I am a ninja now. I leapt upon rooftops, sneaking along the chimneys. My first target was a criminal I knew very well. I had tracked him and put him in jail the first time, doing the arresting personally. He was jailed several times. His name was Justin Timberlake! -gasp- Just kidding. His name is Noah Jones. He's a serial rapist who was sexually abused while he was a kid. I despise people like that. They, of all people, should know how painful it is.

If I was correct, the alley I was standing over would be the site of a would-be rape site. This area was a personal favorite of his, and he struck every three days at midnight. I checked the city's clock tower. 11:58. Great.

"Aah!"

My attention was caught as a woman shrieked, her bosoms grabbed by Noah. I traveled along the sides, trying to get a better aim at his heart. Finally, he shoved the woman to the ground. It was a clear shot. With an experienced swipe, I grabbed an arrow, fit it to the string under the knocking bead, aimed, and fired.

He was killed in one shot.

The woman, who was expecting something horrendous, looked up as he gave a gulp of pain. She saw him fall, and, seeing her chance, escaped. Smart girl.

I dropped down, which was about thirty feet. I pulled the arrow out of his chest, not wanting to loose any arrows. I only carried twenty at a time because they were too heavy. Blood pooled around my feet, sandaled in the ancient Greek fashion. Disgusting. I'd have to wash it off later.

I gave one last look of contempt at the dead rapist. Guilt tugged fiercely at my heart, and I acknowledged it. I didn't even try to make any excuses for it. If I went to hell, I definitely deserved it.

But I can't die. No, not yet.

Not until Rain is happy.

* * *

This is a relatively short chapter for this story, but I thought that it was a good place to end it.

Frankly, I think Soryu, although I love her very much and she is very smart, is very stupid to believe that this will make Raito happy. That's why she's not a Mary Sue. : And, of course, she probably knows this too, but she doesn't want to believe it, especially now since she'd already committed a crime. :S

The reason why I've updated both stories was that I came home today and looked on my stats. They were impressive by my standards, and, inspired, I typed out stories for two hours while simultaneously packing for my upcoming camping trip, talking to my friends, and doing chores. :P Worth it to see you guys happy :

Thanks for reading and reviewing (hopefully)!

Sora :3


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four – News of Artemis

That night, after killing two more criminals in the same manner, I traveled back to Japan, preparing to return the next morning to make it seem like I had never left in the first place. It cost money, but that was something I had large quantities of.

Raito and L were waiting for me at the airport. It looked as if they were fighting, somehow, because Rain was a bit beat up, with a few bruises on his neck. He wore a long sleeved collared shirt under his suit. L wore his uniform shirt and jeans.

Rain stood up to greet me, giving me a warm embrace. L merely stood aside, watching our every move.

"How was it? The case, I mean?"

"I—"

"—found it very easy?" L finished. Obviously he was convinced that I was as intelligent as they were. I need to break him of that. Soon, too, or else I'm screwed.

I didn't lose my cool, of course. I can probably school my features as well as Rain, if not better. I smiled pleasantly, if a little awkwardly, seeming embarrassed about my upcoming confession. "Actually, I wasn't sure if I could finish it by the week deadline I'd told you about."

Obviously not listening, L was scanning the room when his eyes settled on a newspaper stand. Something about it caught his eye, for he strolled over to pick it up. The headline read as follows:

**Nighttime Murderer Strikes Criminals**

Last night, two serial rapists and a murderer, all of whom have been warned several times about their crimes, were killed last night. Witnesses claim they saw a woman with clipped hair, ancient Greek clothing, and a set of a silver bow and arrows. The criminals were shot with one arrow to the heart, killing them almost instantly. They also say that the murderer, now branded by the witnesses as the reincarnation of Artemis, the moon goddess and goddess of the hunt, was a young woman about the age of twenty.

The article then proceeded to explain the accounts of the witnesses, all of whom claimed that Artemis was a godlike being. Though this made me feel special, I knew that it was incorrect, for a god wouldn't take the lives of any. Although, the Greek gods were known for their humanity and their ability to make mistakes, so I guess they were an exception.

I reread the article, taking care to reserve this into my memory. L put down the newspaper gently after receiving it from Rain, who also read it several times. L dragged Rain into the bathroom, saying that they were to use the buddy system as to avoid becoming lost (Rain had pouted and said that this was ruining his dignity). When we were safely in the car with Watari driving, L broke the silence that had hung over us like fog since we read the headline of the article.

"I think we have found our next case," L said simply.

Rain nodded. "Yeah. But it makes me wonder: why would a woman do this kind of job? It's like the Kira case all over."

I intervened, wanting to get my opinion in. "I think it's quite different," I said. To the questioning looks I received, I continued. "Well, Kira killed using some sort of notebook, right? That means he didn't have to have contact with the victim. But this girl… Artemis, they called her? She uses arrows, correct? In doing so, she becomes a completely different person. Who says that she will always kill criminals or people in her way, like Kira? Her objectives could be different, and she could be working with someone. Kira was originally alone, but the Death Note was passed on to different people. This Artemis could actually be a group of people."

"I win," L said to Rain. "She caught it."

Confused? Good, I am too. At least we're not alone.

Sighing, Raito handed him several bills. "I didn't even bet against her! Why do I have to pay?"

"You agreed, Rain, thus you—"

"Yes, I know, Ryuuzaki, it was a rhetorical question."

Rain looked at me and smiled. "L dragged me into the restroom to bet that you would catch that Artemis is different from Kira in the way that Artemis could be more than just one person, and that she could stray from her Kira legalization and kill regular citizens."

I blinked. L? Betting on me? 

…

What stupidity. I thought L was smarter than that.

I shook my head lightly and stared out the window. We were in California, at my request. I have a fetish for oceans, which is quite contrary to my pseudonym, which, translated correctly, means "Sky Dragon." (A/N: Correct me if I'm wrong about that translation please) Although I do love flying, I'd rather be on a parasail than an airplane. I also like beaches, so I thought it would be fine if I asked this.

"Hey, L, Rain, I'm moving out," I said. "I had this planned and the house bought before the Artemis incident occurred, but I bought a house by the beach. I'd like to commute, if you'd please."

L paused, considering his options. "I suppose so," he said finally. "But you must be at the building every morning by four A.M."

I sighed deeply. This was going to be a long time before my goal is achieved.

Waking up every morning at 3 to go work with an insomniac was going to make it seem longer.

But I'll be fine.

After all, Rain will be there. Like his name, he'll wash away all my worries.

He always does.

* * *

Yeah. L suspects Soryu, Soryu loves Raito... who has not taken a good part yet (except the sort of main cause of the plot and a bit of comedy relief at times). I will try to fix that; I really want him to have another part... and he's a bit OOC in some parts, which SUCKS because not only does he have a tiny part, but it's also OOC! GAAAH! -throws up papers in anguish and stubs toe while flailing around- Ow... Yeah.

Anyway, for those of you who celebrate, happy St. Patrick's Day! It's the day where some dude went and drove snakes out of... some... where... I don't know. Apparently (kept spelling that word wrong :S), that's the legend behind the Irish holiday. So yeah. ... Got any potatoes:D

Sora :


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

That night, I went on another Artemis exploit. If I didn't do so, then I would be under suspicion of being the murderer. I would definitely regret doing so in the morning; my body would protest three hours of sleep. But then again, I was already a bit of an insomniac. It couldn't hurt.

To replace myself, I created a hologram. No, not those crappy see-through ones. This one, by my design, could be detected by camera and motion sensors, just in case L decided to bug my house. It sapped up a lot of energy, though, so I had to be careful when to turn it on.

I struck three targets that night, never leaving a fingerprint nor a hair.

After that night, I began to wear gloves and a transparent hair net to further prevent fingerprints and hair. If we were to find the DNA samples on there, then I'd be caught.

The next morning, I dragged myself lazily to the shower, which I came out of refreshed. Shortly after eating breakfast, I got into my shiny Lexus (hey, better than nothing, and it's a good model) and drove to L's investigation building.

Upon entering, I heard silence. I walked into Light's room and found the two in bed. Together. I'm pretty sure their clothes were still on; there was no indication otherwise. Smirking, I did something the first L would have claimed to be something that raised the first Raito's suspicion of being Kira. I took a bucket of maliciously cold water and mercilessly dumped it on my two friends.

Both jolted up, sputtering and cursing. Then they noticed me.

"What the _fuck,_ Soryu?? Can't we sleep?" Raito cried indignantly.

L checked the clock, then took of his shirt, probably not to catch a cold. "Well, it's 4. I guess we deserved that for being hypocritical. After all, we told Soryu to be here at 4 A.M. every morning."

Rain shot the man a glare. "You mean, _you_ told her to be here at 4," he corrected.

I laughed. "Sorry, I had to do that. You guys looked so peaceful and then…" I burst out laughing again.

"I hope you get in a car crash next time," Rain muttered.

I stopped laughing and grabbed the handsome boy by the shirt collar and gracefully dragged him out the room. "Come on, Rain! It's time to shower!"

"Hey!!" He cried. "Don't get in with me!"

L merely chuckled from afar. He had taken the opportunity to slide into Rain's closet while I had been preoccupied.

It was 12 in the afternoon. I stretched out my arms, yawning. I had overlooked every detail that would have given me away. It just wouldn't do for me to be caught yet. I hadn't seen the duo go any farther than innocent touches since the ride back from Japan. Smiling, I decided it was time for some music.

I stood up and walked to the place where Ryuuzaki held his Yamaha concert grand piano.

It's a beauty, really. Crisp, beautiful tones that are clear, even in high and low notes, the sound quality of the soundboard… I couldn't ask for a better piano to fool around on. It's a deep black and it shined in the afternoon sunlight. I sat down on the bench and lifted the cover. The black and white keys had a subtle gleam to them.

Of course, Rain and L didn't notice. Or if they did, they didn't care. I didn't blame them; this was something completely natural for me to do. I lifted my hands to the keyboard and began to play Chopin's Fantasie-Impromptu, the complex rhythms wafting in the sound of the tones.

I could tell almost immediately that this helped my partners relax. The tension that had been minute, but still detectable, had lowered down to a regulated level. I saw Rain's shoulders droop as he breathed deeply, relaxing. L was impossible to tell. He just sat as usual, but I knew what classical music did for him. It raised his reasoning abilities by five percent, but it made him much sleepier, as it did most people. I don't blame him.

It's hard to listen to classical music for long.

I kept playing until eventually, I saw L put away his laptop and mutter a quick, "I'm going to take a nap."

I smirked, triumph on my face, when I saw Rain go with him.

Obviously, they were up to something.

I finished the impromptu and began to play some contemporary, wincing at the awkward-sounding chords and intervals. I chided myself for memorizing the song; it was unusual-sounding and made me think of raw fish.

I switched to a more sincere piece, a Chopin my late sister had done when we were younger.

Listening closely, I heard a bit of moaning. I could hardly contain my laughter as I realized it was Rain. I ended up screwing over my piece so horribly, I cackled out loud as holding it in became too much of a strain.

I swear, being me is hilarious sometimes.

I left the building at six, the sun sitting just above the horizon. Of course, my farewell party was as friendly as ever.

"I hope you crash," was L's miffed farewell. I chuckled as I realized he was still angry about the morning incident.

"Hear, hear," Rain had whispered.

"Aren't you two the friendly bunch."

Beaming sarcastically, Rain replied, "Oh, of course. Being woken up with ice water can do wonders for your morale!"

I gasped in mock amazement. "No! Really? Maybe I should try that tomorrow morning!"

L was obviously not interested, and let Rain continue the conversation.

"You should. It's like _heaven._" He practically spat out the last word; there was so much malice.

I laughed. "Well, then, I should go home and get some _sleep,_ so that I don't end up as an insomniac like _someone,_" I spat.

I don't believe L caught the devilish intentions my voice had on that word.

* * *

_The rain pounded as I stepped out of the car, hardly a carefree six-year-old like most young children were. But then again, most six-year-olds hadn't lost their parents, or were geniuses. Unless, of course, they were in Whammy's academy. Roger led me into the conference room where there were two young boys waiting _

_One was an adorable-looking young boy. His auburn hair was neatly combed, and his honey-brown eyes had a glint of hidden intelligence. He dressed like any six-year-old would… when taken to their parent's work place, of course. He wore a suit and tie, although the tie looked a bit sloppy._

_The other was far from the first. He sat in the fetal position, clad in a white t-shirt and jeans. He wore no shoes or socks, despite the cold, wet weather outside. He had a bird's nest of a scalp and dark eyes that had a glimmer of intelligence. I remember wondering briefly if I had that same glimmer in my eyes. _

_Both of them, however, had that same solemn look that said, "Don't talk to me. I need to get my feelings straight."_

_I smiled sadly. I had learned to smile with my parents dead, and decided that they should be able to smile, too. "You two should smile more," I said, answering their shocked looks at the sudden grin, albeit rueful. "Your parents probably wouldn't be able to move on to heaven if they knew you were still sad." _

_The one in the fetal position gave me a look so filled with malice, I took a step back. It was as if he said, "Back off. What if I don't give a damn about my parents?"_

_The first one gave me a very solemn smile, but he managed, his graceful eyes glinting with sorrow. "Thank you."_

_Completely forgetting the weather, I blurted, "Want to go out and play?"_

_Both looked at me as if I was crazy before the second one said, "It's raining outside."_

I woke up with a start. Burying my face in my blanket, I cried. I cried because I missed the days where I hadn't gotten involved. I cried because I missed Rain and L when they were so innocent. I cried because... because...

Because I was too cowardly to tell Rain I liked him.

I realized from the dream that I had loved him since the day I met him. All of a sudden, that song, "Far Away," by Nickelback, didn't seem so idiotic as it used to be, seeing as it now fit the situation I was in.

Instead of telling Rain, I tried to force him with L.

God, I feel so damn _stupid._

If I want Rain to notice me, I should've just told him.

...No. No. That's all wrong.

If I told him, instead of treating me as an equal, he would see me as a woman, and therefore beneath him.

I want him to see me as an equal, like he does to L.

* * *

I know that this is the first update in a while, and so it's a bit longer than usual. Hooray, me. But the next update for Of Yagami Light, the Mass Murderer is going to take a while... I'm sorry. I need to get all my facts straight before I totally screw the storyline (thus, the half-filler I posted). So sorry... but it is being continued!!

Sora :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six – God, Let Me Die.

Slinking carefully and fox-like along the rooftops of the alleyways, I prepared for my latest killing, a young delinquent who was close to professional at stealing. The boy walked nonchalantly past the alleyway, seeming to be holding nothing.

Seemingly was the key word.

I knew for a fact that he had stolen a small diamond ring. So small, he could stuff it down into his ass and keep it there, should the police come and strip search him for it. Somehow, though, I doubted he'd done that. It seemed to me that the action would be very uncomfortable and disgusting.

I drew an arrow and fitted it to the string, pulling the cord back. The fletching itched, but it was necessary for a true flight. I released, the cord slapping the silver and producing a harsh sound.

His head snapped back to the source of sound. The delinquent's eyes widened as the arrow punctured his heart, killing him almost instantly. Blood began to pool. I winced as I lighted down to pull my arrow out.

I had seen more of this since my exploits as Artemis. But every time, more guilt heaved onto my back. I gave a silent mourning, as I always did, to ensure the soul good judgement. Well, better than the one I would be facing when I died.

I turned after mourning properly, deciding from which angle and which route I should go home to, and when. If I came home every day at the same time, then someone would notice my continuous arrival at the house, causing suspicion on the owner. If not suspicion of being Artemis, then suspicion of being the next target. Rain would pick that up, L would hold me hostage (but under surveillance), then, after weeks of being under surveillance and no Artemis attacks, L and Rain would have no choice but to deduct that I'm Artemis.

Sometimes I wonder if my brain will die from all the thinking I've done lately.

I decided the best time for me to go home was at three in the morning. I pulled out the wireless remote for my hologram, programming it to stop pretending to read (or whatever it was currently doing; its activity has escaped my mind) and telling instead telling it to go to sleep. After all, it was midnight.

The question now lay as is: Where should I go to kill three hours' worth of time without getting caught?

Sighing, I decided my best bet was to stray far from home, then relax at the beach or something. Only crazy people would be at the beach at midnight, during high tide. I guess insomniacs were included. It didn't really matter.

I made my way to the beach through the less-populated areas. I traveled swiftly to the sand and ocean waters, bathing in a pale white glow. I lighted down carefully from the rooftops, careful not to injure my ankle in any way, for even the slightest bit of limping would prick a sensor in Rain and L's minds. Walking slowly across the beach, the wind began to blow, gently at first. Somehow, it comforted me but condemned me at the same time.

Wrinkling my nose, I sat down in the middle of the pale white sand. It was cold, and the wind seemed to wrap around me like a blanket. It also strangled me with guilt. I felt the pressure of my killings in full force as the wind gave me comfort I didn't deserve.

God, I don't deserve this. God, let me die.

A thought crossed my mind: did Kira ever feel this way? This thought led to many others. Who was Kira, anyway? Did Yagami Raito really die by Kira, or was he killed by some other supernatural force?

I sat there in the sand for two hours before I finally stood up, deciding it was time to go home.

As I walked towards the streets, nearly empty now, I saw a figure I didn't want to see at the moment: Raito. Keeping my face calm and attempting to hide my face, I turned to leave in a different direction.

"Artemis."

His voice stopped me cold.

"I know who you are. L doesn't know my suspicions yet, but I'm sure he has come to the same conclusion by now."

I drew a shaky breath. My traitor voice asked, "Do you know my motive…?"

Goddamn it. I just let him know he was right.

I didn't know he had come up behind me until he grabbed my wrist. Not liking the contact, I lashed out with a roundhouse to the right. Rain had sidestepped, avoiding the kick completely. He pulled me in closer to whisper in my ear.

"Soryu, why? Of all people, why did you have to do something like this, you idiot? I thought you were smart. Nothing good comes from killing criminals. No matter how godlike you feel, you're only a mortal." His voice was hoarse, maybe a bit from anger.

My eyes widened. So he knew that it was me. Despite myself, I grinned. "Sorry, Rain, you've got my motive all wrong." Using an unexpected aikido move, I got him to let go of my wrist. I left him on the sand, not wanting to look back and see his disappointed face.

Once home, I shut off my hologram and turned on the shower. It was three in the morning, so I decided that, after pulling an all-nighter, I needed whatever I could to wake me up.

Following that train of thought, I continued to drink five cups of pure, black coffee and three times that amount in tea. What can I say? I'm a tea addict.

As I sat there, waiting for my bladder to act up (I didn't feel like having to struggle to keep it under control in the car), I analyzed my final movements.

Of course, this would continue for a few more weeks, or days, at least. L and Rain have already deducted that Artemis lived in the southern California area, for the killings never strayed further than outside the surrounding cities. They were currently searching through all the young-looking women currently residing in our area. It was a matter of time before L discovered who I was, if Rain didn't tell him. Or maybe he knew. It didn't really matter.

But somehow, I felt as if I had too many supporters to be downed. I truly felt, for a few seconds, like a godly being… like Kira. That feeling ripped away as I reminded myself of Rain's discovery. I didn't want to be caught. I'd rather be killed after revealing myself.

Well, if I do, how should I go about it?

… I'll get back to myself on that.

During my recent, random surveillances of Rain and L, they had it going strong now. It startled me for a bit, how sudden they were going at it, but it didn't really matter. At least my plan was working. I just hope they wouldn't start screwing themselves in front of me. It's one thing to see it on camera, and another thing to see it in real life. At least with a camera, I can turn off the signal. Live… well, you just can't turn it off unless you make them.

"Courage! Do not fall back." That was my motto, inspired by Joan of Arc, my role model. I doubt that she went through an ordeal as conflicting as this, but I'm pretty sure her trial, and her punishment, was about as bad as what I could go through if I get caught, if not worse.

I sighed. Might as well come up with an idea to reveal myself now.

Well, it would have to be discreet. Secluded, away from the public, where only Raito and L would see… That way, the public would not be astonished.

Actually, that may be the best answer.

I could hijack the airways. By hijacking under the alias Soryu, I could reveal Artemis as the detective Soryu, who no one but Rain and L have knowingly had personal contact with. Perfect.

Now the problem is when. When to execute my brilliant plan, of course.

The brilliant plan that will get me killed, anyway. But I think it's worth it. After all, it is my logic and my idea; my motivation is questionable. But I hardly think the judge will even look at my motivation before he calls in the prosecutor.

So basically, it doesn't really matter.

Well, considering the timing of my—Whoops. Nature calls.

Haha! First update of this story since spring break! xD Kinda sad, since spring break ends today. But whatev.

My dad gave me a flash drive. oo;; I just asked, and then he gave me this incredibly cute one that's like, not even three inches long. It's green 3

I'd like to thank you guys for waiting so long without flaming me... Since, after all, I get really mad when a story isn't updated in forever. Thanks, you guys ;D

Sora Pwns x3


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven - _Fine_

It was 4:15 A.M. when I walked in.

"Soryu, what has taken you so long?" Ryuuzaki crooned from afar. Rain didn't even bother to say hello. He was in a bad mood and I knew why.

"I assume you know," I said, putting my hands on my hips. "You're watching the traffic channel."

On the plasma screen, there was a badly-dressed news reporter talking about a car crash, and how it would cut off most traffic lines. Ryuuzaki hurriedly shut off the TV, then glanced inquisitively at me. "What do you mean?"

I groaned. Someone save me from this idiot of a detective.

"Whatever," I said, pulling out my laptop and sitting on the piano.

I flipped it open and placed my laptop beside the music stand. After hitting the power button, I typed in my random password. I watched as the desktop revealed a picture by my old friend Katana, smiling at the beautiful colors.

"How's the search going?" I asked, pulling out a few music books.

"Horrible. We can't find any people who match the outline of Artemis except three young women," Raito replied. His eyes watched me carefully, adding tons of weight onto my already-heavy burden.

I furrowed my brow as an act of frustration. "Damn it, when are we going to find that murderess?" I knew that Raito and L had included me in the three young women.

L said nothing, but glanced over in my direction. He typed something on his laptop and hit enter.

Rain's attention drifted slightly to his screen. I decided that L had just confirmed a suspicion. He stopped glaring at me to type a reply. After reading the message, both L and Rain began to study me.

"Sheesh," I said, with a slightly joking tone. "Why are you two glaring at me like that? It's a bit creepy."

Raito stood and sighed. I was startled for a second: his eyes had a cold glare, as if he'd seen things more horrible than what I'd seen. But that couldn't be, could it? I'd known him practically my whole life, and he'd seen pretty much everything I had.

So what made him so cold then?

"What's going on?" I asked shakily.

L returned his attention to his computer. After a moment, he said, "You know what's going on, Artemis." His voice held no hate. It was just…his voice.

I laughed. It sounded a bit crazed. "Haha… Me? Artemis? You have no proof."

"You may have been intelligent, Soryu, but you were overconfident. You forgot about witnesses. The to-be victim of the first man you killed was an artist." Rain held up a drawing. "Though she didn't get a good look, she managed to recall Artemis's face."

I looked at the picture, afraid of what to expect. My face was drawn with a few errors here and there, but it was still very clear that it was me. Drawn with charcoal, it had a lot of shading and almost no tone, but it was still very detailed. My face darkened. Shit. I'd been found.

"So now what? Are you going to set me up for execution?" I said darkly.

L put his thumb to his lips. "No."

I almost fell. I really did. I'd been expecting L to give me the death sentence the entire time. But then again, with L, you can never really tell. Before I could ask what I was to do instead, Raito answered.

"We know you not to do anything without good reason. We want to know why you did this, first, before we issue any kind of punishment." His face was still as cold as ever.

I frowned. There was something wrong here. It was oddly… forgiving. It was as if they were forgiving me… but why?

As Raito opened his mouth to begin the interrogation, I beat him to the questions. "Why? Why are you forgiving me?"

Raito's face darkened even more, to the point where his angelic face seemed… satanic. He spoke softly, but had an intimidating aura. "I used to be Kira."

I froze. My angelic Raito… Kira? It didn't fully register, but it was there. It felt scary to know that the kind person was a mass murderer. He continued to speak, his head lowered in shame, something that he rarely ever felt.

"I killed L, Raye Penber, and many other people for my vision of justice. But it wasn't worth it. I got killed humiliatingly at the end of all my efforts." He glared at me. "We were reincarnated when we were born, as crazy as it seems. We think that I met L at such a young age to prevent me from killing many other people, as I did in my last life. But instead of me, you became lustful for blood."

My eyes widened in horror. It sounded so goddamn _convincing._ But I knew that, just because Raito was Kira and wasn't this life, doesn't mean that he's the reason that I became Artemis.

"Just because you weren't lustful for a crime-free world doesn't mean that I was lustful for the same reason."

"We are aware of that, Sora," L said. He never used my real name unless he wanted to make a point. His usually blank eyes glimmered with emotion. "My suspicion has been that you wanted to pull us into a relationship. May I say, you did a very good job with that."

I nearly toppled over again. These people are going to give me a heart attack someday, I swear!

"So now what, am I going to be sent to jail and killed?"

L laughed, startling both Raito and myself. We rarely heard L laugh. "Of course not. The criminals we sent out were sent out with a death sentence."

My mind registered the "we." "You… knew from the start?" My voice was shaky.

"Raito found the to-be victim and asked for her drawing on the first night. Of course we would have known. From then on, we decided to let you handle some of the death sentences, since you were already posted on the news."

I wanted to knock out L. I really did. "So why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"L wanted to play with you for a bit. He told me it was extremely exciting, trying to solve it without the picture, but then he gave up, saying it was too hard." Raito answered easily, brushing some of his hair out of his face.

"You will have no sentence. The rapist you killed first was going to be arrested in a matter of minutes, anyway, and killed on the spot. The police are grateful and sent a unanimous request to let you off of the death sentence, despite my protests. Even Interpol was against your death sentence. I have no right to send you to death."

I gaped. So… the police was using me as a tool? My pride was crushed. I glanced away from the two in shame.

"Instead," Raito's voice called, "you will be solving cases with us again, but in the same building so we know you're not doing anything like this again."

I pouted. Now I had to live with two homos, even if they are my best friends.

_Fine._

I never thought it would finish this quickly, but at the beach scene, the story was like, "PUT RAITO HERE. NOW." :S Such a whiny story. And I figured it would be stupid to let L and Raito kill Soryu right off, them being so childish, and decided instead that they would torture her for it personally.

So yeah. I really enjoyed writing this story. It was fun, even though it didn't score many hits, since it has an OC… I was rereading this and found hints of LxOC and LightxOC. I really didn't intend for that to happen. It just did. ;;

Thanks for sticking through the entire thing! And for all you good reviewers, if you want the epilogue, review, and I'll post it up if I get at least 3 requests for it! xD (Yes, a small minimum, but this story doesn't have many different reviewers.)

For those of you who haven't encountered the word "Fine" before, it's not "Damn, she's FINE!"; that's just plain idiocity. Fine is a musical term meaning "end." And, since Soryu is a musician (too bad I didn't get to make much use of that), I decided "Fine" was better than "End". :P

Thanks for reading!

Sora Pwns x3

* * *


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